Peanuts Hucko

**Peanuts Hucko** was a swing-era jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist known for his smooth, Benny Goodman-inspired style and collaborations with legends like Glenn Miller and Louis Armstrong. Born Michael Andrew Hucko in 1918 (Syracuse, New York), he earned the nickname “Peanuts” for munching on the snack during gigs. After cutting his teeth with big bands in the 1930s, he joined Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Band during WWII, later becoming a staple of the postwar traditional jazz revival. Hucko’s clean, melodic playing made him a sought-after sideman and bandleader, and he even led a beloved Dixieland group in Colorado during the 1980s-90s. His recordings, like *Tribute to Benny Goodman* and the *Vol. 1/Vol. 2* collections, celebrate his lifelong dedication to timeless swing and classic jazz. Hucko passed away in 2003, leaving behind a legacy as one of the great keepers of the big band flame.